To the Editor:

As owners of an independent small business, we are writing to thank the Princeton Public Library (PPL) and the town for creating and supporting the Children’s Book Festival, held on Saturday, September 22 on Hinds Plaza.  

We are proud to have partnered with Susan Conlin head of Youth Services, the staff of Youth Services, and everyone at PPL as the bookseller for the Children’s Book Festival for the last eight years.  It is heartening to see so many children and their families engage with authors, illustrators and the library in a celebration of books and reading.  We have watched the Festival grow over the years with authors and illustrators coming from across the country to have a spot on the plaza.  

This year’s Book Festival was a tremendous success, one for the record books!  As we have for the last eight years, jaZams will be donating 2 percent of all sales from the Children’s Book Festival to the Library — an incredible $15,000 for PPL this year!  

Thank you to everyone who had a role in this wonderful event — the staff of Princeton Public Library, our incredible staff (known as the jaZamily), and Nomad Pizza who helped us celebrate the 13th Annual Children’s Book Festival.

We are fortunate to live in a community which supports small businesses like ours and look forward to partnering with the library on next year’s festival.

Joanne Farrugia and Dean Smith

jaZams Co-Owners